Abstract

Many Africans are already experiencing the impacts of climate change and while further climate change is inevitable in the coming decades, real economic transformation is still to take place for most of the continent. With much of the recent development gains in climatesensitive sectors, climate change still presents risks to growth and development in Africa. Simultaneously, adaptation experience is growing in Africa. There is evidence that adaptation will bring immediate benefits and reduce the impacts of climate change. High-quality climate information is crucial for effective disaster risk management and climate adaptation; yet this is not available across many parts of sub-Saharan Africa. The Future Climate for Africa (FCFA) research programme will increase the quality and availability of such information and build greater expertise in how to apply this in core development areas including health, disaster risk reduction, water, agriculture and food security and infrastructure planning.